WASHINGTON (Kashmir English): Microsoft has shut down operations in Pakistan after 25 years, citing global restructuring and a shift to a partner-led, cloud-based model.
The tech giant has also announced 9000+ job cuts worldwide. The reports suggest that the tech firm has cut roughly 9,100 jobs globally (or about 4% of its workforce) in its largest layoff round since 2023.
The Verge reported that Microsoft never operated a full commercial base in Pakistan, relying instead on liaison offices focused on education, enterprise, and government clients.
Over recent years, local partners had shared much of that work, while licencing and contracts were managed from its European hub in Ireland.
According to reports, Microsoft once considered Pakistan for expansion, but the company choose Vietnam instead by late 2022. “The opportunity was lost,” according to experts.
Microsoft Pakistan’s former founding country manager, Jawwad Rehman, said the exit reflected the current business climate. “Even global giants like Microsoft find it unsustainable to stay,” he posted on LinkedIn.
According to the experts, Microsoft’s revenue from Pakistan was estimated at just $50 million (less than 0.02% of global revenue) and that much of its local staffing had already been scaled down.
Microsoft will continue serving Pakistani customers
Microsoft will continue serving Pakistani customers through regional teams and partners. The closure, however, underscores the growing pressure on multinationals to streamline overseas operations amid changing global priorities.
